Monday’s Campaign Round-Up, 7.6.15

Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that won’t necessarily generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:

* It only took two-and-a-half weeks, but Jeb Bush said over the weekend that he was offended by Donald Trump’s anti-Mexican rhetoric. “To make these extraordinarily ugly kind of comments is not reflective of the Republican Party,” for the former governor said, after ignoring the issue.

* To the delight of the NRSC, Rep. Joe Heck (R-Nev.) made it official this morning, kicking off his U.S. Senate campaign in Nevada.

* Ted Cruz announced his fundraising totals overnight, pointing to a $10 million second quarter, which isn’t bad given his relatively weak standing in national polls. Cruz’s super PAC has also reportedly raised over $37 million, though that’s a cumulative total since the start of the year.

* Though it’s not the team he intended to run with, Chris Christie has hired a new campaign manager: Ken McKay, a “well-regarded operative who previously has served as chief of staff at the Republican National Committee and as political director of the Republican Governors Association.” Maria Comella, a longtime Christie confidante, will serve as his campaign’s “chief messaging officer.”

* There’s no shortage of Nazi-related quotes from this guy: “Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson said in February 2012 that “political correctness” has caused Americans to fall ‘silent, very much like the people in Nazi Germany were silent.’”

* In New York’s 21st district, which the DCCC has its eyes on, retired Army Col. Mike Derrick (D) has announced he’ll take on freshman Rep. Elise Stefanik (R) next year. It’s one of the state’s more competitive districts, which President Obama won twice.

* Scott Walker published a curious 4th of July tweet over the weekend, arguing that the holiday celebrates “our independence from the government.” Is that really how he understands the events of 1776?

* And speaking of odd tweets, GOP presidential hopeful George Pataki asked last week how his fellow Republican candidates can be expected to “stand up to ISIS” if they “can’t stand up to Trump’s comments.”